Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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A hint of surprise flashed in Tan Qing’s eyes. Having lived in the mortal realm for so long, he had rarely seen such humans. This technique was undoubtedly Xie Lingya’s creation, using a paper moon as a medium to bring everyone out of his illusion.
Although he had heard rumors about Xie Lingya’s actions, this was indeed the first time Tan Qing had witnessed them firsthand, which made him admire Xie Lingya even more. He chuckled and said, “Teacher Xie is truly excellent, only slightly inferior to me.”
Xie Lingya retorted, “Damn it, still bragging! How can you be so shameless!”
Everyone was speechless. They wanted to say something like, “Teacher Xie, don’t you think this attitude is a bit familiar? Don’t you feel your knees hurting[1] when he insults you like this?”
Xie Lingya was completely oblivious. He was somewhat ignited with fighting spirit. He coldly watched as Tan Qing raised his hand, and familiar black energy rose up around them, enveloping the area. It was very similar to the spell used by the Hongyao Taoist.
“What, are you afraid of being seen?” Xie Lingya mocked.
“After all, my injuries haven’t healed yet. If other mages see me, with human technology so advanced these days, what if they report this to the Underworld from somewhere else?” Tan Qing said with a hint of cunning. “I don’t want to go back.”
Xie Lingya looked up and saw that the darkness had enveloped his father as well. He could only vaguely see his father’s mouth open, shouting something, but he couldn’t hear anything.
Xie Lingya only looked for two seconds before silently looking away. “Even if you don’t want to, you have to go back. That’s where you belong.”
“Why do you all say that? Wang Yuji said the same thing…” Tan Qing suddenly mentioned Xie Lingya’s uncle, his originally innocent face now showing a hint of hatred. “Why? Since Heaven and Earth gave birth to me, why do you say I’m not accepted by Heaven and Earth? I just want everyone to gain eternal life.”
Xie Lingya frowned. The son of Youdu didn’t understand the meaning of life at all. Life and death were confused in his eyes because he was fundamentally different from humans.
Tan Qing said softly, “Look, in the end, Wang Yuji is no longer in this world, but I still came back…”
“You dare to say that?” He shouldn’t have mentioned it, because mentioning it made Xie Lingya furious. If it weren’t for him, his uncle wouldn’t have died so young; he originally had decades more to live!
Although his uncle was now an official in the underworld, the mortal and spiritual realms were different. Life in the underworld was nothing compared to that in the mortal realm, and the City God’s offerings were not even as plentiful as in ancient times. He had also parted ways with his relatives and friends.
Xie Lingya rolled up his sleeves, “Enough with the nonsense! Today, I’ll fight you to the death!”
Tan Qing smiled, clenched his fists at his waist, and spread them outwards, forming the outer lion mudra above his head. His face was filled with anger, and when he opened his mouth, it seemed as if he could faintly hear the roar of a lion, yet it seemed like nothing at all.
“Om Vajrasattva Hum…” Tan Qing’s lips moved slightly as he chanted the mantra, and his body slowly emitted a white light.
“Vajrasattva…” Lian Tan could only smile bitterly.
This was a Tantric Buddhist practice. He was certain that Tan Qing had only been practicing for a month, yet he had achieved such a level. He himself had cultivated the Sword-Holding Immortal Form for many years to reach this point, while Tan Qing could already conjure the image of Vajrasattva.
Vajrasattva, also known as Vajrapani, was a valiant and powerful being, highly revered in Tantric Buddhism. He also had another name, more familiar to non-Buddhists: Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.
Tan Qing softly said, “May your compassionate eyes look upon us, and your gentle hands grant us liberation.”
With a hand gesture, white flames erupted from his body, shooting towards the crowd.
Xie Lingya picked up the Three Treasures Sword to block, shouting, “Universally present, the Way responds to all!”
At the same time, the others also used their own techniques to counter.
In modern society, those who practiced magic were few, and those who achieved true mastery were even fewer. Tan Qing had previously turned some against him; with his Outer Lion Seal, only the resistance of a handful of people was effective.
Xie Lingya’s Frugal Sword technique was a wide-range spell, managing to block some attacks for others. Even so, most people were sent flying backward, and even Xie Lingya himself felt a pain in his chest and his knees buckled, almost causing him to fall. Fortunately, he managed to brace himself with his sword.
“Isn’t it my turn?” Xie Lingya angrily gripped the Three Treasures Sword with both hands, his mind at peace.
Xie Lingya’s original intention in cultivating the sword was to use it to guide souls, but all methods are interconnected, and besides, the essence of the sword was only for the benefit of the world. How could it not be transformed into a sword for exorcising demons?
“Heaven will save him and protect him with mercy!” Xie Lingya thrust his sword at Tan Qing.
Tan Qing released the outer lion seal, retracted it to his waist, and then clasped his hands together, his two index fingers joined upright, his thumb pressing down on the nail of his middle finger, forming the Fundamental Mudra at his chest.
“I am an unmoving Bodhisattva, though the eight winds blow…” Tan Qing’s eyes were clear as she smiled faintly, “I remain unmoved.”
The Heavenly Sword, carrying the power to subdue demons, flew with dazzling golden light towards Tan Qing’s chest, but it struck as if against a diamond wall. The blade tensed, emitting a cracking sound. Xie Lingya tumbled backward in a disheveled manner, and looking at his hand, he saw that the hilt of the sword was cracked, which pained him greatly.
“Damn it,” Xie Lingya cursed under his breath.
But the others weren’t idle either. Tan Xing, also wielding a sword, took a few steps forward, used the wall for leverage, and thrust at Tan Qing.
Tan Qing reached out, caught Tan Xing’s sword with two fingers, and with a gentle twist, broke it.
“Senior brother, aren’t I your good junior brother anymore…? I was planning to kill you third after killing Mr. Xie and Master.” Tan Qing pouted in disappointment. He pulled Tan Xing up from the ground and, without warning, broke Tan Xing’s right hand holding the sword.
“Ahhh—” Tan Xing screamed in agony, his face contorted in pain.
Tan Qing lowered his head and said, “Senior brother, when you were teaching me swordsmanship, I always wanted to say that you were practicing it wrong.”
He released Tan Xing, took the broken sword in his hand, pinched both ends, and sent the broken sword flying into hundreds of sharp blades that flew towards the crowd!
Lian Tan, his gaunt face already etched with empathy for Tan Xing’s suffering, stepped forward, clasped his hands in prayer, and bowed, chanting, “Through countless eons and a thousand lives, may all wisdom shine forth.”
The sharp blade seemed blocked by an invisible wall, clattering to the ground.
Tan Qing gave a soft snort and walked towards Lian Tan.
Xie Lingya seized the opportunity to kick him from behind, yelling, “Go to hell!”
Tan Qing actually stumbled from the kick, turning around angrily.
Xie Lingya quickly ran to the side, pulling out several thunder talismans as he went, chanting, “Five Thunders Descend, Lock Ghosts and Contain Spirits!”
Purple lightning flashed, crackling beneath Tan Qing’s feet. He cried out and fell to the ground, blood flowing from his raised foot. Xie Lingya suddenly remembered that no matter how powerful Tan Qing was, he was still a being of the Netherworld, naturally opposed to lightning.
Seeing that it worked, Xie Lingya took out all the remaining thunder talismans.
Tan Qing stared at his bleeding bare feet, feeling both aggrieved and thoughtful. Seeing Xie Lingya about to hit him with a thunder talisman, he cunningly darted forward.
His movements were unlike human slowness; he leaped onto Lian Tan with incredible speed, hugging Lian Tan’s shoulders and using his body to shield himself from the thunder talisman. He then chanted the mantra of the Immovable King, who transformed into flames. With a breath, the stack of thunder talismans in Xie Lingya’s hand spontaneously combusted, becoming completely useless. Not only that, the flames spread from Xie Lingya’s sleeves to his body.
Xie Lingya felt a burning pain in his hands and retreated several steps, trying to extinguish the flames, but they wouldn’t go out. Shi Changxuan held his hand, the flames also spreading to his fingers. He frowned and said, “Vast essence generates Dharma, golden light shines. A misty haze condenses in the sky, sweet rain falls eternally!”
The flames gradually died down, but Xie Lingya’s hand was also swollen and red from the burn, almost unable to bend his fingers.
Even with his fingers bent, Xie Lingya had to draw the talisman. He winced in pain, thinking how fortunate he was to have practiced thunder magic. He exchanged a glance with Shi Changxuan, and the two of them, enduring the pain, drew the talisman on their palms with cinnabar.
Seeing this, Lian Tan grabbed Tan Qing’s neck, flipped him over, and turned them around, their backs to Xie Lingya.
“One turn lowers heaven and earth, two turns hide the six gods, three turns eliminate the four evils, four turns ignite thunder and fire, five turns unleash lightning, six turns kill the mountain spirit, seven turns subdue all that defies heaven and the wicked, those who are unjust and cause harm to ghosts and gods will be brought to the five thunderbolts to die!”
A bolt of purple lightning crashed down on Tan Qing!
Tan Qing only squeezed Lian Tan’s wrists once, and the sound of bones cracking was heard. He then kicked at Lian Tan, and the two of them instantly flew away, avoiding the purple lightning.
Only then did Tan Qing’s physical form reveal that he was indeed not human. He clung to the wall with his hands reversed, his joints twisted in a bizarre way. “We still need to be careful with Teacher Xie…”
Lian Tan gritted his teeth, his hands hanging limply at his sides, yet he still stepped forward, his body radiating a soft white light, binding Tan Qing.
He knew there weren’t many capable fighters present; today, he could only win, not lose. Even if his hand bones were broken, he would still lock Tan Qing down.
Tan Qing was held by Lian Tan, a hint of life appearing on his face as he murmured, “Master…”
Tan Xing, lying on the ground, also struggled to crawl a few steps, “Master!”
His emotions were completely different from Tan Qing’s, almost weeping blood.
“…” Xie Lingya gritted his teeth, refraining from cursing, “Again.”
Shi Changxuan’s face was also extremely gloomy. He raised his hand and made a cut in his heart, drawing a talisman with his heart’s blood.
However, casting spells took time. Before Xie Lingya and Shi Changxuan could finish drawing the talisman, Tan Qing had already bitten off Lian Tan’s ear, his mouth full of blood as he said, “Master, I’m getting angry.”
Lian Tan screamed in pain and was thrown away by Tan Qing, lying on the ground covered in blood.
Tan Qing jumped onto the eaves of the main hall and sat there, his legs dangling down, blood still dripping down.
“Did you hit it?” Tan Qing licked the blood from his lips, then spat it out, looking displeased.
Xie Lingya’s eyes turned red as he saw the old monk lying on the ground. He angrily pulled out the trembling Guai Long cowering in his chest, grabbed it by the tail, and slammed it to the ground, shouting in a near-collapse, “You decide what to do! Otherwise, my last meal before I die will be snake soup!!!”
Guai Long struggled to crawl a few times on the ground, fear in its eyes, its whole body tense.
Xie Lingya stared at it intently.
The dragon remained stiff for a long time, then opened its mouth, exhaled like a burp, and immediately went limp like a slug.
This wisp of energy, initially tiny and barely enough to lift a single blade of grass, gradually grew larger as it soared into the air, swirling and piercing the darkness, reaching for the heavens, boundless and formless, unstoppable by anyone.
Then, this energy gathered in the sky, forming rolling, dark clouds.
In an instant, a torrential downpour began, soaking everyone in the city!
Tan Qing looked up, initially bewildered, then a hint of wariness appeared.
But it was too late. Xie Lingya, his palm stained with Shi Changxuan’s heart’s blood, finished drawing the talisman and pressed it to the ground, shouting, “All generals of the Thunder Palace, gather at the altar! The True Lord descends, to banish the evil spirits!”
Golden light pierced the darkness, transforming into purple lightning, which, along with the raindrops, struck Tan Qing.
Tan Qing tried to dodge, but there was no escape; rain was everywhere.
The energy entered the clouds and transformed into rain, the lightning using the rain to amplify its power— with a deafening roar, Tan Qing was charred black!
His unrecognizable black body fell from the eaves, crashing to the ground, splashing water everywhere.
….
Those who had just been turned back to their senses regained their senses, and everyone’s faces lit up with joy. Was Tan Qing dead?
Xie Lingya slumped back in the rain, laughing, “Finally dead, Senior Brother…”
Before he could even enjoy his happiness for five seconds, Shi Changxuan gripped his hand, “Lingya!”
Xie Lingya heard the urgency in his voice, sat up, and saw that the charred body had actually twitched a few times on the ground.
Just as Xie Lingya was thinking of rushing over to finish it off, the charred outer skin peeled off like tree bark, revealing a perfectly formed human shape underneath. It rose from its prone position, revealing a strange, handsome face.
This face bore no resemblance to the original “Tan Qing,” but the innocent yet wicked expression was clearly the same. This was the true face of the Son of Youdu.
His face was half-hidden in the shadow cast by the eaves, and when he smiled, he revealed sharp canine teeth. His voice, still carrying the naivety of a boy, said, “Mr. Xie, a creature born from ‘death’ is not afraid of ‘death’.”
“…” Xie Lingya’s heart sank little by little.
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[1] Used when someone is trying to deceive, trick, or give a flimsy excuse to someone else, suggesting the listener is too smart to fall for it.
